Bedlam in Karnataka assembly: BJP MLAs seek probe into ‘honeytrap’ charge, 18 barred for 6 months
Speaker U T Khader suspended the MLAs, who were subsequently evicted from the House, after they climbed up to his chair and threw papers at him on what was the last day of the Budget Session.
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As Khader adjourned proceedings for 10 minutes, the 18 BJP MLAs were physically removed from the House. (Express photo/ Jithendra M)A day after a Congress minister in Karnataka alleged he was among 48 leaders across party lines who had been the targets of attempts to “honeytrap” them, the Assembly witnessed chaotic scenes on Friday as 18 BJP MLAs were suspended for six months amid pandemonium in the House over their demands for a judicial probe into the allegations and protests against quota for Muslims in public contracts.
Speaker U T Khader suspended the MLAs, who were subsequently evicted from the House, after they climbed up to his chair and threw papers at him on what was the last day of the Budget Session.
Shortly after the Assembly convened around 8.40 am, BJP MLAs brought up the allegations that Cooperation Minister K N Rajanna raised on the floor of the House Thursday evening and began protesting in the Well of the House. After BJP MLA V Sunil Kumar demanded a judicial probe, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah said a high-level investigation would be ordered.
“It is the responsibility of the government to protect all elected representatives irrespective of party affiliation … We will surely get a probe conducted. I will speak to Home Minister G Parameshwara and senior leaders. We have a responsibility to protect all leaders,” said the CM.
Not satisfied with the answer, the BJP MLAs continued protesting even as Siddaramaiah read his response to the Budget discussions held earlier during the session.
The protests intensified after the CM concluded his speech, with Leader of Opposition R Ashoka terming it a “halal Budget”. It was a reference to welfare allocations for Muslims, including a 4% quota for the minority community in public contracts.
As Khader took up the Finance Bill, amendments to the Motor Vehicles Act, and Bills on hiking the salaries of ministers and legislators, several BJP MLAs moved towards the Speaker’s chair. When the marshals tried to step in, Khader instructed them not to stop the MLAs. The Treasury Benches rose in protest after the BJP legislators tore copies of Bills and other documents and hurled them towards the Speaker. Some papers were also thrown towards Siddaramaiah, prompting Congress MLAs to rush to protect the CM. A visibly angry Urban Development Minister Byrati Suresh was seen throwing papers back at the BJP legislators, even as Siddaramaiah demanded action against them.
The Speaker adjourned the House till 3 pm and his office analysed clips of the incident during the break. Even as the protests continued when the Assembly resumed around 3.40 pm, Khader moved a resolution against 18 BJP MLAs under Rule 348 of the Assembly rules, which was endorsed by Law and Parliamentary Affairs Minister H K Patil.
Khader said the Speakers’ chair was a “symbol of democracy” and the action of the BJP MLAs was “condemnable”. “Obstructing the proceedings of the House cannot be tolerated,” he said, suspending the MLAs for six months.
The suspended MLAs are Doddanagowda Patil, Dr C N Ashwath Narayan, Byrathi Basavraj, B Suresh Gowda, Umanath Kotyan, C K Ramamurthy, Dheeraj Muniraju, Muniratna, S R Vishwanath, Doddanagowda Patil, Dr Bharath Shetty, Dr Chandru Lamani, Basavaraj Mattimudu, Shailendra Beldale, Sharanu Salagar, Harish B P, Channabasappa, and Yashpal Suvarna.
The BJP currently has 65 MLAs in the 224-member Assembly.
After Khader adjourned proceedings for 10 minutes, the BJP MLAs were evicted from the House. Once the session resumed, the Opposition protests continued as the amendments to the Karnataka Transparency in Public Procurement Act were passed. These amendments grant the 4% reservation to Muslims in government tenders below Rs 2 crore and procurement of goods and services below Rs 1 crore.
“The suspension of 18 MLAs was undemocratic. I am saying this because a senior Minister in the Congress government himself said in the Assembly that attempts were made to honeytrap 48 MLAs in the state,” state BJP president B Y Vijayendra told reporters outside the Assembly.
Leader of Opposition Ashoka said, “A minister has also appealed to people to save him as attempts were made to honeytrap him. Yet, the CM did not reply. Can you expect justice from ministers in this government? The Congress itself should have taken the initiative and ordered a CBI or judicial probe. Instead, it suspended the 18 MLAs, which was unjust and disrespectful to the House.”
The BJP legislators submitted a memorandum to Governor Thaawarchand Gehlot, urging him to reject the “unconstitutionally moved” Karnataka Transparency in Public Procurements (Amendment) Bill that provides the reservation to Muslims in public contracts. They warned that the Bill would undermine the social fabric and disturb harmony among religious communities.
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